Brush head

ABSTRACT

A brush head for one-time use is equipped with a bundle of bristles ( 11 ) that is fashioned from flat strip of material ( 1 ).

[0001] The invention relates to a brush head for one-time use withbundled bristles.

[0002] WO 01/15587 A1 describes a toilet brush with such a brush headthat features a sleeve that can be attached to the front end of a handleand in which sleeve a bundle of bristles is fastened The brush head as awhole consists of a water-soluble material, e.g. of pulp, paper, or thelike, with each bristle being formed by a rolled-up strip of paper orthe like. After use, the brush head is stripped off, or, respectively,thrown off and can thus be flushed off together with the wastewater. Thebrush heads can be kept in storage in a dispenser, with the bristlebundle being held together by a protective cover that is to be removedprior to use.

[0003] The invention made it its task to provide a brush head that iseasy to manufacture. According to the invention, this is achieved byforming the bristle bundle from a single metal strip. The bundle ofbristles is thus one piece, meaning that the bristle, do not need to bemanufactured and bundled individually but can rather be created throughincisions.

[0004] A basically rectangular, flat metal strip can be folded into thedesired cross section shape of the bristle bundle. Through zigzagfolding, the bundle of bristles may not only have a square orrectangular cross section shape but even approximate a round one.Furthermore, an essentially round brush head can be achieved by windingthe rectangular strip of material in spiral shaper or, respectively, byrolling it into a cylinder and providing it with longitudinal ribs.

[0005] Furthermore, the flat strip of material may feature ribs thatradiate from a central section. In this case, the geometric shape ofthis strip of material can be selected at will, and the strip could evenbe round. In the case of a non-round strip, bristles of varying lengthsmay result.

[0006] In a preferable model, the flat strip of material is providedwith incisions or stampings from which the bristles result. Theincisions extend in particular over approximately one to three quartersof the width of the strip of material, leaving a continuous, solidborder strip comprising the remainder of the width that can be stuckonto a holder or a handle or the like for a separable connection and/ormounting. Preferably, this marginal strip also provides the cohesion ofthe bundle of bristles by treating the surface areas that touch eachother during the folding, rolling or winding process with water-solubleglue. Cohesion may also be achieved by way of a sleeve that the wound,rolled up and/or folded bundle of bristles is inserted into while beingconnected to the sleeve along the marginal strip.

[0007] If the bristles are modeled in radiating fashion on a centralsection, the central section is inserted into the sleeve, causing thebristles to essentially rise parallel to each other. Again, the sleevecan be stuck onto the holder or the handle.

[0008] In order to facilitate the insertion into the sleeve and,respectively, to make it more difficult for the gluing to come apart, aprovision may be added by rounding at least one of the two corners onthe material strip opposite the bristles.

[0009] Another preferred model provides for the uncut longitudinalmarginal area of the material strip to have a narrower and a wider part.The length of the wider part corresponds approximately to thecircumference of the bristle bundle, allowing the wider part to berolled into a sleeve during the rolling of such a material strip thatcan then be attached to the holder or the like.

[0010] The material strip consists in particular of pulp or the like,i.e. material that will swell or disintegrate in water, permitting thebristles to form only at the time of the first wetting. Therefore it ispossible to place the incisions in such a manner that they remainconnected by material bridges that quickly break during wetting andallow the individual bristles to form or that, respectively, releasethem. These material bridges prevent any expansion of the flee bristleends due to the tensions occurring during the rolling or folding of thematerial strip.

[0011] In an initial model, the incisions comprise, for example, onlypart of the thickness of the material strip allowing for an uncut, solidcontinuous surface to remain. When the material strip is wound or rolledto the bundle of bristles, the continuous surface may be located insideor outside since the wet material bridges will disintegrate in anyevent. If the continuous surface is located on the inside, the incisionswill open because of the curvature, and the individual bristles will bevisibly indicated.

[0012] In a second model the incisions may penetrate the entirethickness, and each incision is divided by a ridge into two segments ofequal length. The ridges complement each other to a narrow areacontinuing across the length of the material strip.

[0013] The material strip may be soaked with a cleaning or disinfectingagent at least within the area of the bristles.

[0014] In the following, the invention is described in detail in threesample models by way of the figures shown in the attached drawings, with

[0015]FIG. 1 showing an oblique view of a flat material strip,

[0016]FIG. 2 showing a partially wound up material strip,

[0017]FIG. 3 showing detail A in an enlarged representation,

[0018]FIG. 4 showing a bundle of bristles with an attachable sleeve,

[0019] FIGS. 5 thru 7 showing representations identical to FIGS. 1 thru3 in a second Model,

[0020]FIG. 8 showing a variant of a bristle bundle FIG. 9 showing ahorizontal projection of a third model of the material strip,

[0021]FIG. 10 showing a partially wound material strip of the thirdmodel,

[0022]FIG. 11 showing a horizontal projection of a fourth model of thematerial strip,

[0023]FIG. 12 showing a schematic representation of the production of afifth model, and

[0024]FIG. 13 showing another variant of a bristle bundle manufacturedin this manner.

[0025] The flat, essentially rectangular material strip 1 shown in FIGS.1, 5, 9, or 12 made of pulp or similar material that will swell throughwater absorption and thereby lose its stability and finally disintegrateis provided in an initial segment with bristle 3 forming incisions 4.The segment provided with the incisions 4 comprises approximately two tothree quarters of the width of the material strip 1, assuring that theremaining marginal segment 2 is closed which in FIGS. 1, 5, or 9features at least one rounded or beveled corner 10. The incisions 4represent bristles 3. In the model according to FIG. 1, as shown indetail A in FIG. 3, the incisions 4 comprise only a part of thethickness of the material strip, accounting for the fact that on the onesurface 6 they are visible, but not on the other surface 5 (FIG. 2).Therefore, each incision 4 is delineated in its depth by a materialridge that forms the continuous surface 5.

[0026] If, as shown in FIG. 2, the material strip 1 is rolled up, thebundle of bristles 11 is created when the continuous surface 5 islocated on the inside. Tile incisions 4 widen somewhat during therolling process, and the bristles are clearly visible even though theyare connected via the inside material ridges. Cohesion of the rolled-upbundle of bristles 11 is provided by a water-soluble glue that isapplied to the marginal area 2 prior to the rolling up process. At leastthe one corner 10 is rounded or beveled that is located oil the outsideof the rolled-up bundle of bristles 11 (FIG. 4), meaning that, on theone hand, the glue on the corner 10 will detach less easily before itstime due to outside mechanical influences and, on the other hand, thatthe bristle bundle 11 can be inserted more easily into a sleeve 12. Thesleeve 12 can either be part of the brush head and can also be made of amaterial that will disintegrate in water, in which case the sleeve canbe stuck onto a holder or handle in detachable fashion, or it alreadyrepresents the receiving end of tile holder or handle.

[0027] The model according to FIGS. 5 through 7 differs from the modelaccording to FIGS. 1 through 3 only in that the incisions 4, whilecomprising the entire thickness of the material strip 1, they are,divided into two segments 8 and 9, with a material bridge remainingbetween segments 8 and 9 that appears as a continuous ridge. The lengthsof segments 8 and 9 could be in the ratio of 1.1 to 2:1.

[0028]FIG. 8 shows a variant of a bristle bundle 1I that is formedthrough zigzag folding of the material strip 1, in which case thedistances between the folding edges increase from both sides towards thecenter of the material strip 1. Distances of equal width between thefolding edges lead to bristle bundles 1I with a square or a rectangularcross section area.

[0029]FIGS. 9 and 10 show another material strip 1 whose uncut marginalarea 2 is graduated. A wider section 13 comprises a length thatcorresponds approximately to the circumference of the bristle bundle 11,meaning that the sleeve 12 is formed from this part 13 during therolling process. The material bridges are again formed by the ridge 7,but they could also result from incisions 4 not exceeding the thickness.For stabilization of the sleeve 12, an overlapping strap 14 could beprovided on at least one side.

[0030] In the model according to FIG. 11, the flat material strip 1features a round basic shape from which the bristles 3 are cut out inradiating fashion. Incisions 4 reaching close to the central section 15permit the folding of the flat material strip to a bristle bundle 11when the central section 15 is pressed into a sleeve 12. These incisions4, too, can be limited to part of the thickness of the material stripthrough the formation of material bridges. The central section 15 mayfeature a hole, if necessary, in order to provide an empty space for thematerial during the erection of the bristles 3.

[0031] The material bridges formed by the continuous surface 5 or,respectively, by the ridge 7 ensure the cohesion of the bristle bundleduring the winding, rolling, or folding of the material, meaning thatthe non-conglutinated bristles 3, in particular tile free ends of theexterior bristles will not spread outwardly. Therefore, the bristlebundle 11 features an essentially uniform cross section over its entirelength so that it can be stored and/or handled in a storage package, adispenser or the like without any protective cover or the like.

[0032]FIG. 13 shows another variant of a bristle bundle that features ahollow cylindrical basic shape ill whose walls, for example, eightprotruding ridges or, respectively, ribs 21 are formed. Between each tworidges or, respectively, ribs 21, incisions 4 are provided that extendover two to three quarters of the height of the cylinder, with the ribsections separated by the incisions 4 forming the bristles 3. Thenon-incised marginal area of the bristle bundle 11 can either beinserted into a sleeve 1 and conglutinated, similar to the modelaccording to FIG. 1. Since the bristle bundle 11 is hollow-cylindrical,the non-incised marginal area can also be stuck directly onto a holderor the like.

[0033] The incisions 4 can extend all the way across the thickness, ascan be seen in FIG. 13 since, due to the stiffening U-shaped crosssection of the individual bristles 3, they need not be held togetherthrough material bridges. If desired, material bridges can still beprovided in one of the versions described above.

[0034]FIG. 12 shows schematically the production of the bristle bundleaccording to FIG. 13. The flat rectangular material strip 1 is rolledinto a hollow cylinder 15 without any prior incisions and glued togetheralong its abutting edges. The diameter of the hollow cylinder 15 isconsiderably larger than the diameter of the cylindrical core 16 that isused for the shaping and on which longitudinal ribs 17 are formed. Eightradially movable press elements 18 that in the work area arewedge-shaped provide an initial section with a Cutting edge 19 and asubsequent section with narrow frontal area 20 that is recessed from thecutting edge 19. The press elements 18, three of which are shown in FIG.12, press, in particular one after the other, the hollow-cylindricalmaterial strip 1 between the longitudinal ribs 17 of the core 16 wherebythe material strip is pressed against the surface of the core 16. Thecutting edges 19 of the press elements 18 thereby produce the incisions4 while the dull frontal areas 20 only shape or, respectively, compressthe material strip.

[0035] When used, for example, on a toilet brush, the bristle bundle iswetted, and the wetness as well as the cleaning action soften thematerial and break the thin material bridges that may have beenprovided, with the bristle bundle opening up like a brush. After use,the brush head can be stripped off the holder and flushed away togetherwith the wastewater.

1. Brush head for one-time use with bundled bristles characterized bythe fact that the bristle bundle is fashioned from a strip of material.2. Brush head according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that thestrip of material is provided with incisions that provide the bristles.3. Brush head according to claim 2 characterized by the fact that thematerial strip is longer than it is wide and features two longitudinaledges, and that the incisions are provided parallel to each other,starting from one longitudinal edge to an uncut marginal area on thesecond longitudinal edge.
 4. Brush head according to claim 2characterized by the fact that the bristles are connected by materialbridges that break up, at least partially, when wet.
 5. Brush headaccording to claim 4 characterized by the fact that each incisioncomprises the entire thickness of the material strip and is divided intotwo sections of approximately equal length by a ridge forming thematerial bridges.
 6. Brush head according to claim 2 characterized bythe fact that the incisions comprise only part of the thickness of thematerial strip.
 7. Brush head according to claim 3 characterized by thefact that the uncut marginal area of the material strip features anarrower and a wider part.
 8. Brush head according to claim 3characterized by the fact that the uncut marginal area ends in at leastone rounded or beveled corner.
 9. Brush head according to claim 1characterized by the fact that the bristle bundle protrudes from asleeve that can be stuck onto a holder or the like.
 10. Brush headaccording to one of claims 1 through 9 characterized by the fact thatthe strip of material consists of pulp.
 11. Brush head according toclaim 1 characterized by the fact that the material strip is wound intoa spiral.
 12. Brush head according to claim 11 characterized by the factthat the material strip is provided with incisions that form thebristles.
 13. Brush head according to claim 12 characterized by the factthat the material strip is longer than it is wide and comprises twolongitudinal edges, and that the incisions are provided parallel to eachother, starting from one longitudinal edge to an uncut marginal area onthe second longitudinal edge.
 14. Brush head according to claim 12characterized by the fact that the bristles are connected by materialbridges that break up, at least partially, when wetted.
 15. Brush headaccording to claim 12 characterized by the fact that the incisionscomprise only part of the thickness of the material strip.
 16. Brushhead according to claim 15 characterized by the fact that the incisionsare provided on the outside of the wound-up material strip.
 17. Brushhead according to claim 14 characterized by the fact that each incisioncomprises the entire thickness of the material strip and is divided intotwo sections of approximately the same length by a ridge that forms thematerial bridges.
 18. Brush head according to claim 13 characterized bythe fact that the uncut marginal area ends in at least one rounded orbeveled corner.
 19. Brush head according to claim 11 characterized bythe fact that the bristle bundle protrudes from a sleeve that can bestuck onto a holder or the like.
 20. Brush head according to claim 13characterized by the fact that the uncut longitudinal edge area of thematerial strip features a narrower and a wider part.
 21. Brush headaccording to claim 20 characterized by the fact that a sleeve isfashioned from the wider part of the uncut marginal area that can bestuck onto a holder or the like
 22. 22. Brush head according to claim 1characterized by the fact that the material strip is made of pulp. 23.Brush head according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that thematerial strip is rolled up cylindrically and provided with longitudinalribs.
 24. Brush head according to claim 23 characterized by the factthat the material strip is provided with incisions that form thebristles.
 25. Brush head according to claim 24 characterized by the factthat the incisions are provided between the longitudinal ribs.
 26. Brushhead according to claim 24 characterized by the fact that the materialstrip is longer than it is wide and features two longitudinal edges, andthat the incisions are provided parallel to each other, starting fromone longitudinal edge to an uncut marginal area on the secondlongitudinal edge.
 27. Brush head according to claim 24 characterized bythe fact that the bristles are connected by material bridges that breakup, at least partially, when wetted.
 28. Brush head according to claim24 characterized by the fact that the incisions comprise only part ofthe thickness of the material strip.
 29. Brush head according to claim28 characterized by tile fact that the incisions are provided on theoutside of the material strip rolled up in cylindrical fashion. 30.Brush head according to claim 26 characterized by the fact that a sleeveis fashioned from the uncut marginal area that can be stuck onto aholder or the like.
 31. Brush head according to claim 23 characterizedby the fact that the bristle bundle protrudes from a sleeve that can bestuck onto a holder or the like.
 32. Brush head according to claim 23characterized by the fact that the material strip is made of pulp. 33.Brush head according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that thematerial strip is folded in zigzag fashion.
 34. Brush head according toclaim 33 characterized by the fact that the material strip is providedwith incisions that form the bristles.
 35. Brush head according to claim34 characterized by the fact that the material strip is longer than itis wide and features two longitudinal edges, and that that the incisionsare provided parallel to each other starting from one longitudinal edgeto an uncut marginal area on the second longitudinal edge.
 36. Brushhead according to claim 33 characterized by the fact that the bristlesare connected by material bridges that break up, at least partially,when wetted.
 37. Brush head according to claim 36 characterized by thefact that each incision comprises the entire thickness of the materialstrip and is divided into two sections of approximately the same lengthby a ridge that forms the material bridge.
 38. Brush head according toclaim 33 characterized by the fact that the incisions comprise only partof the thickness of the material strip.
 39. Brush head according toclaim 35 characterized by the fact that the uncut marginal area ends inat least one rounded or beveled corner.
 40. Brush head according toclaim 33 characterized by the fact that the uncut longitudinal area isinserted into a sleeve that can be stuck onto a holder or the like. 41.Brush head according to claim 33 characterized by the fact that tilematerial strip is made of pulp.
 42. Brush head according to claim 1characterized by the fact that the material strip features bristlesradiating from a central section.
 43. Brush head according to claim 42characterized by the fact that the material strip is provided withincisions that form the bristles.
 44. Brush head according to claim 43characterized by the fact that the bristles are connected by a materialbridge that breaks up, at least partially, when wetted.
 45. Brush headaccording to claim 43 characterized by the fact that the incisionscomprise only part of the thickness of the material strip.
 46. Brushhead according to claim 42 characterized by the fact that the centralarea of the material strip is inserted into a sleeve that can be stuckonto a holder or the like.
 47. Brush head according to claim 42characterized by the fact that the material strip is made of pulp.